Private Ready to Run

[Persephone Dashiell]

​

Persephone escaped into the night air from the massive structure, feet taking the steps quickly. It was only when she was half way down did she realize the wineglass was still tight in her hand. Head craned back and forth, as if deciding what to do. No way she was going back into the grand halls.

Great, now I'm stealing.

Thinking quick, she carefully descended down the stairs in her heels once more, impressed at her own speed in the back of her mind. As she approached the end of the steps, the teenager approached a valet standing in the circle drive, awaiting for patrons to exit the gala. Throwing on a smile, Persephone did her best ditzy socialite impression.

"Here." Hand thrust the wine glass toward the valet, the poor kid barely older than herself looking confused. "I was just drinking and drinking and looks like this one tried to come with me. You know how it is, start gossiping with the girls and next thing you know..."

Persephone gave a very fake laugh, one that hurt her ears to hear. Yet the valet was so stunned he just looked at her then the wineglass then back up the expansive of steps. At this point she was using that little dumbfounded look as an escape route. Heels clicked against cobblestone as she ushered herself away from the scene of the crime. Really she should have waited near the steps for a ride but that was unwise.

Kiran Arlos may have come upon her.

Instead Persie thought it wise to walk down the sidewalk, knowing she saw a small cafe on the way in to the gala. From there she could arrange for Zee to meet her and get the speeder they arrived in on. A perfect plan.

Not that she didn't like Kiran. Maybe that was the problem. He completely violated her trust on Life Day and she had been upset ever since. The idiot knew the rules, knew she had already stretched to bring him to the event, and then acted brazen. It was a complete violation of her trust and the effort she put in to even get her adoptive parents to be comfortable allowing anything regarding a boy.

More than anything it hurt. Hurt to realize Kiran was no different from the others. Hurt to know he completely disrespected their relationship. Yet she would cry later, alone. For now she was focused on leaving here and going to Kalinda.

 

[Kiran Arlos]

Persephone Dashiell
​

Kiran Arlos stood at the edge of the archway, his eyes following Persephone as she slipped out of the palace like the marble itself had finally become too heavy to breathe under.

He waited a few seconds longer than he meant to.

He was not even sure why. Maybe it was because he was working, because there were protocols and assignments and the part of him that still tried to be responsible even when his heart was sprinting. Maybe it was because he was afraid she would look at him with that same panic again, and he would not know how to survive it.

But he was not going to let duty become an excuse.

Not this time.

Kiran moved, weaving through the last of the doorway traffic and into the cool Naboo night. The air smelled like canal water and stone warmed by lantern light. His steps were quick but controlled, eyes scanning the circle drive, the stairs, the sidewalk that curved away toward the cafes.

He caught the valet first, because the valet was holding a wineglass and looking like he had just been handed a mystery with no instructions.

Kiran slowed just enough to keep his voice calm. "Did you see a really beautiful girl come by this way?"

The valet blinked, then pointed down the sidewalk. "I think she went that way."

"Thanks." Kiran was already moving before the word finished leaving his mouth.

He followed the direction indicated, picking up pace as the palace receded behind him. He could see her ahead, a slim silhouette cutting through lantern lit cobblestone like she had a destination that was more important than pride. She did not look back. She did not slow down. Every click of her heels sounded like a decision.

"Persephone!" Kiran called, voice carrying just enough to reach her without turning heads in the circle drive. "Hey!"

There was no reaction or pause. He swallowed hard and pushed faster.

"Please," he added, and he hated how raw that sounded. "Look, I'm sorry. It was stupid. I mean not kissing you, not that, but doing it how I did."

Kiran's chest tightened. He jogged forward, taking a slight shortcut to get ahead of her, and then he stepped into her path at a safe distance, not touching her, not trying to trap her, just making it so she would have to see him if she wanted to pass.

He lifted both hands a little, palms open. "Please! Just give me a moment!" He said earnestly.

"Okay," he said, breath uneven, eyes fixed on hers. "I'm an idiot, okay."

The words came out with a shaky half laugh that did not match the seriousness in his face.

"I don't really know how to do this," Kiran admitted. "I mean, I have some idea. I just...." He swallowed, forcing himself not to fill the silence with excuses.

He stood still, giving her plenty of space. "I'm not going to pretend I didn't mess up," he continued, voice softer now. "I violated your trust. I did." His jaw tightened as he accepted it fully, finally saying the part he had been avoiding. "It was where it happened. How it happened. What it put on you, not me."

His eyes flicked down to her hands,, then back up to her face. "I realized what it did to you," he said, quieter. "And I hate that I did that because I had a moment of selfishness." He took a careful step back, not forward, like he was proving he meant it.

"I'm not asking you to forget," Kiran said. "I'm not asking you to forgive me tonight. I'm just asking for another chance. One chance to do this the right way. Completely."

He hesitated, then added, almost pleading but still gentle, "If you tell me you want me to go, I will. I'll step aside and I won't follow you again." His throat worked around the next words, and when they came, they sounded like the simplest truth he had.

"But I'm here because I care about you, Persie. I don't want to lose you. I'm....so sorry."

Goodness, how many times could one say he was sorry, it sounded pathetic at this point. But he didn't care, she was for all intents and purpose, she was all he had. He didn't want to lose that.

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

Stepping along the cobblestones, it took a small moment to realize she was being followed. Being in a city, she expected the sounds of others. The night was young after all. Yet when Kiran called her name she was certain it was just a figment of her imagination - until he popped out of the bushes in front of her, looking as if he was trying to herd a frightened nerf back into a pen.

Crossing her arms across her chest, the teenager fell quiet. The worst she could do was merely listen to his pleas. Currently less of a plea and more of a a string of 'sorry' at nearly every other sentence. Even more pathetic was the fact it was in the street on her way to the cafe, a fairly active street at that. Someone stared as they walked by with a shopping bag, eyebrow raised.

Persephone was upset, but at least willing to entertain giving Kiran another chance. She didn't want to dismiss him because she did care about him but in her mind a line had been crossed. If he didn't respect her wishes then what was to say he wouldn't in the future? Possibilities swirled in her head, both negative and positive, as Kiran stood there pleading.

"Why did you even do it in the first place? You already knew I was on thin ice inviting you."

Kiran Arlos ​

 

[Kiran Arlos]

Persephone Dashiell
​

Kiran's throat tightened as Persephone's question sat between them, sharp and deserved.

He did not try to dodge it. He did not try to smooth it over with charm. He stood there on the cobblestones under the lantern light, shoulders squared but hands loose at his sides, and forced himself to tell her the truth even if it made him look worse.

"You seemed like you were a bit down during the Life Day dinner," he said quietly, voice steady but careful. "You just seemed distracted. Like something was sitting on your chest. I kept thinking maybe someone said something, or you heard something, and you were trying to act like it did not matter."

He swallowed, eyes flicking over her face as if he could still read the answer there. His expression softened, the kind of softness that came from concern and guilt tangled together.

"And I wanted to fix it," Kiran continued. "Not in a smart way. Not in the way you actually needed. Just… in the way I knew. I wanted to make you feel better. I wanted to remind you that you were not alone in that house."

His jaw tightened and he shook his head lightly, frustration aimed at himself.

"And yes," he said, the words more deliberate now, "I was being selfish. Because I wanted to kiss you."

He held her gaze, not flinching.

"I let my want completely disregard your boundaries and violated your trust.," Kiran admitted. "I knew the situation you were in. I knew what it cost you to bring me. And I still chose what I wanted in the moment."

A small pause followed, and his voice dropped another notch, quieter and more sincere.

He spoke just as a simple statement of fact. "I do not want to be that person to you, Persie."

"I'm just an idiot sometimes."

 

[Persephone Dashiell]

"So instead of opening your mouth and asking, you decided to just kiss these perceived problems away? Yeah, you are an idiot."

Persephone couldn't believe the words coming from Kiran's mouth. No thoughts at all, just vibes. Lips thinned as she mulled this revelation over. Was he just incredibly stupid? Seemed like it. Did she want to put up with something like that long term? Difficult to tell at this stage in her life. It was fine for now but not so acceptable in several years time when she was older and moving to the next stage of her life. Even now she was moving forward, moving to Kalinda and settling in for a new adventure.

Could Kiran keep up?

"Yes, you did violate my trust. In fact you shattered it. Remember I stated my trust percentage to you? Its not even there any more - you have no idea how long it even took me to try to convince myself to trust you. That you were different. Now you're showing me I was right all along, I shouldn't even bothered."

Harsh but it was the truth. When she had thought things were different only to have them be the same it was shattering. Especially after she promised herself not to be so stupid, here was was being stupid. Taking a deep breath, bright blue eyes bore into Kiran.

"My trust in you is nonexistent. Don't dare try to kiss me again." A small pause. "We can continue to be friends but your expectations should be minimal. I can't risk getting hurt yet again."

Taking a deep breath, Persephone allowed herself to be disappointed for a long moment until she flipped a switch. No time to wallow in her feelings while she was standing in the street like an idiot. The time to process would be well away from Kiran and his explanations. Arms uncrossed and her shoulders squared, focusing back on the moment.

"Did you want a caf before I leave the planet?"

Kiran Arlos​